Elevator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. G. GOODRIGI-I. Elevator.

No. 233,232. Patented Oct. 12, I880.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFETQE.

HARRY G. GOODRIOH, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,232, dated October12, 1880. Application filed September 1, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY G. Goonnron, of Worcester, in the county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Elevators; and I declare the following to be adescription 'of my said invention sufticiently full, clear,

and exact to enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide a practically operativepassenger-ele vator which shall be safe from the dropping of the car bybreakage of the draft-rope or derangement of the operating mechanism,and also to introduce a method of construction and operation whereby theelevator mechanism is rendered capable of sustaining and carrying greatloads without liability of overstraining the supporting and draft ropes.These objects I attain by mechanism constructed and organized foroperation substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings and hereindescribed, the particular subject-matter claimed being definitelyspecified.

Figure 1 is a plan view of an elevator mechanism illustrating the natureof my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, andFig. 3 is a side view of the same, with a portion of lower part removedto show the winding-drum, 850.

In my improved elevator the car (together with a greater or less amountof its load, if desired) is supported and counterbalanced by a series ofropes, (sixteen, more or less,) which are connected to the car and toindependent weights suspended outside the elevator-car track, said ropesbeing passed over sheaves or drums, and the latter provided withratchets or other suitable clutch devices, for holding the sheaves ordrums from revolving in one direction, while permitting them to turn inthe opposite direction, so that said sheaves or drums are heldstationary while the elevatorcar is descending, and the car thusretained by a force equal to the friction of the sustaining-ropes uponthe sheaves or drum, while in ascending the sheaves run withoutopposition. The motive power is applied for drawing down the car andload as well as for raising it.

In the drawings, A denotes the car, which may be constructed in anysuitable form, and mounted to travel up and down between suitableguides, B B, the stopping and starting apparatus being arranged in anywell-known manner.

0 denotes the draft-rope, one end of which is attached to the head-frameA, and the opposite end to the foot-frame A of the car. Said rope 0extends up and passes over the wheel or sheave D at the top of theelevatorshaft, thence down and around the windingdrum E, with asufficient number of coils, c, to give the required degree of frictionto prevent slipping thereon, thence down and around a bottom sheave, F,and up to the bottom of the car A, as illustrated.

The sheave or wheel F may be mounted in a movable frame, F, to swing asa caster about the center, f, permitting the sheave F to accommodateitself to the position of the rope G as the coils 0 wind to the right orleft along the surface of the drum E. A similar result cg uld beattained by mounting the sheave F upon a screw-shaft, so that it wouldtravel toward the right or left as it turned round, following the coilsc.

The Winding drum E, which is pravided with a spirally-grooved surface toreceive the rope C, may be located at any desired level, near the sideof the elevator-shaft, mounted in suitable bearings and operated bymeans of a worm-gear, E, and worm-shaft E, as indicated, or in any othersuitable manner. The operating devices are preferably arranged at theopposite side of the elevator-shaft from the counter-weighting devices;but both can be arranged at the same side, if desired.

H H indicate a series of sheaves provided with grooves for the receptionof the countersupport ropes I, and a series of ratchets or other formedsurfaces, h, to receive the stoppawls K, or an equivalent clutchingmechanism, whereby said sheaves H are retained from revolving in onedirection, (viz., toward the car A,) while they are permitted freeaction in the other direction. The sheaves H and clutches can be made soas to act singly-4. 6., each pair of ropes l and its clutch K workingindependent of the others-or they may be arranged to act in sectionsi.6., two, three, or four, or more sheaves being secured together, so thatthey form, as it were, a broad sheave with several grooves and clutches.Or, again, the entire lot of sheaves II can be made as a single 1grooved drum with a series of ratchets or clutches applied thereto, aspreferred. The sheaves or drum II are mounted on a suitablesupporting-frame, 13, at the top of the elevator, as shown. The pawls orclutches K are in the present instance simple levers supported on therod B and falling on the suri face of the ratchets It. If desired,however, the clutches K could be modified and be made to act by frictionor otherwise, and any form of clutch be used that will hold the sheavesor drums II against movement in one direction while permitting movementin the other direction.

The support-ropes I connect with the headframe A of the ear, pass overthe sheaves II, and attach to the weights L, asindicated. A sufficientnumber of ropes, l, are employed to connect to the car the desired totalcounterweight,theweightingmaterial beingcomposed ofindependent llatplates ofcast-iroll, (or other substance.) each individual plateweighing some one hundred pounds, more or less, or of i such proportionthat its weight will not cause 1 its suspension-rope l to adhere to thesurface of the sheave or drum ll beyond the limit for ready frictionalor sliding movement there on. Ropes l are of such size as will, beyondall question, sustain indefinitely one of the weight'plates, L, and theseveral plates are each attached by separate ropes. In the presentinstance sixteen ropes, l, and weights I. are used; but I do not wish toconfine myself to that particular number, as a greater or less numbercould be employed without departure from the spirit of my invention. andin practice the number would be probably increased or diminished,according to the size and weight of the elevator-ear.

In the operation of my improved elevator the wint lug-drum, beingrevolved by the applied power, takes on the rope (J from one direction,at the same time discharging it in the other, and vice versa, thusdrawin;, the car upward or downward, according to the direction in whichthe drum 1' is operated.

'ith the upward movement of the car A the weights I. draw over the ropesl, the sheaves ll turning freely, so that only such force is required onthe draft-rope (l as may be necessary to lift the excess of load overthe counter-balance. \\'hen the car descends the sheaves II are clutchedand remain stationary, and the ropes l are required to slide on thestationary surfaces, thus giving a strong retaining friction, and aforce is required on the draft-rope U equal to the excess of suchfriction over the weight of the load on the car in order to bring thecar down. llence,

should the draft-rope Cat any time break, the car would be held by thesupporttug-ropes I, and in no case could the car fall, except by thebreaking of the entire series of ropes I and draft-rope C at one and thesame timean event beyond the range of probabilities.

A break of the draft-rope 0 does not increase the strain on any of theindividual ropes l, the maximum strain on which can only be the amountof their frictional contact on the sheave II due to the attached weightL, this being but a small fraction of their ultimate breaking-strain.

It will be observed that this construction renders an elevator fullysafe at all times, while it is adapted for excessive loads, as none ofthe support-ropes can be overstrained, and should the car be greatlyoverloaded it cannot overcome the friction of the ropes I to a degreesufiicient to force the car down at a dangerous speed.

The ropes I and C may be made of any suitable material and of anydesired form, or chains or hands may be used in lieu thereof. I prefer,however, ordinary Manila, wire, or hemp ropes for the purpose.

It will be understood that Ido not herein make reference or claim to theduplication of dratt or hoisting ropes in an elevator, as I am awarethat such feature has heretofore been described in Letters Patent No.32,441, of May 28, 1861.

What I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In an elevator, the combination, with the car or load sustainingplatform and mechanism for operating the same, ofa series ofsupportinga'opes connecting said car with counter-weights, and adaptedto slide in frictional contact with a stationary sheave, drum, orsurface when said car moves downward, for the purpose set forth.

2.. In an elevator, the combination, with the car or platform andmechanism for operating the same, of a series of supporting-ropesconnecting said car with a series of independent counter-weights, a drumor series of sheaves, provided with grooves for the reception of saidropes, and a series of clutches for retaining said sheaves or drum fromrevolving when the car moves downward, while permitting their revolutionwhen the car moves upward, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the car A, the series of support-ropes I, theindependent counter-weights L, the sheaves or drums H, having groovesand ratchet-surfaces h, and the pawls or dogs K, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with the car A, provided with a series ofindependent supportropes, l, with counter-weights L and friction sheavesor bearers H, of the draft-rope G, attached to the top and bottom ofsaid car, the winding-drum E, and sheaves D and F, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

Witness my hand this 30th day of August, A. I). 1880.

HARRY C. GOODRICH.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, S. 1%. BARTON.

